


Nose Punch

by belivaird_st



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 11:45:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14544048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belivaird_st/pseuds/belivaird_st
Summary: Dannie takes Therese to a local boxing gym...





	Nose Punch

**Author's Note:**

> A first short story with just Dannie McElroy & Therese Belivet collaborating. Not sure how I feel about it with no Carol in the picture...

New York, Upper Side, 1954

Therese followed Dannie McElroy inside the loud, body odor scented city’s public boxing arena. She found various of shirtless men practicing throwing punches at each other; wearing bulky boxing gloves and foam padded helmets. Some of them were hitting into sand filled, black punching bags. Grunts and angry shouts had echoed and bounced throughout the walls.

Therese felt so out of place, for she was the only woman inside the gym arena. 

“You ready for your lesson, Terry?” Dannie grinned, playfully swatting Therese on the shoulder.

“Don’t call me that. And no, I shouldn’t be in here,” Therese murmured. Her eyes wandered towards the boxing ring where two guys were brutally going at it. Therese could see the black n blue eye swelling up already. She watched Dannie take her library books out from her arms and set them down on the bottom bleacher. 

“Wives and girlfriends come over with kisses and treats for the champions all the time! Don’t worry about it,” Dannie confirmed. “Now stay right where you are, while I go get our gear...” he skipped backwards with a boyish charm that got Therese smiling and eye rolling. Dannie disappeared into a fish-eye shaped glass room, grabbing the supply closet keys from the main desk. He pulled out a mesh bag filled with boxing gloves and helmets. Therese curled her nose up once Dannie helped her put on both the bulky red gloves.

“I can barely lift my arm,” she said, while Dannie quickly strapped and readjusted the padded square helmet over her head.

“You won’t need to, because I’ll be showing you all the techniques!” Dannie explained. When he had both his helmet and gloves on; he pounded his fists together before raising them both up. “Now, I want you to try to throw a punch at me, Terry...”

“I told you not to call me that, Dannie,” Therese growled. 

“Why?” Dannie snorted. “You love it when people call you that!”

 _And by people, he meant Richard. Richard Semco, her ex-boyfriend, loved calling her that_.

“I don’t go by that name anymore,” Therese said, attempting to throw a punch by using her right fist. Dannie blocked it naturally.

“What do I call you then? Belivet?” Dannie blocked another punch with a smirk.

“Therese,” she replied. She grunted as she made another effort striking with her left arm. Dannie grabbed ahold of it and planted a small kiss on the glove. 

“C’mon baby! Is that all you got?!” Dannie laughed. He ducked his head just in time from another swing Therese threw. She scowled as he kept laughing and bopping her gently on the side of her helmet head. 

“I’m not... your baby...” Therese took a couple of steps forward with a few throwing punches. Dannie, sniggering, kept darting each strike before swiping her sideways with a backhand. Therese almost lost her balance, but regained her footing. The mat they were standing on, reminded her of a blue rubber whale. Her loafers were left lying on the bleachers next to her library books.

“Yes you are,” Dannie insisted. “You’ll always be my... Oof!” the young man drew back the second Therese’s left arm shot out with her glove fist landing squarely crushing his nose. Blood pooled out from his nostrils now.

“Dere you go, Twarry!” Dannie spoke with his nose plugged up with the heel of his glove. “You god it!”

Therese quickly removed her gloves off and unstrapped her helmet. She dropped the gear onto the rubber mat and hurried off to collect her things. She slipped her shoes back on and gathered up her books while Dannie went to grab a tissue. When he came back with tissue stuffed into his nostrils, he saw that Therese was gone; already going back home.


End file.
